Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-12-02
AFTER THE BATTLE.


The result of the local option cam
palgn in our county brings a smile of
satisfaction to the faces of all who love
sobriety and purity Of home:
81 am proud of Jerauld county; her
record at the ballot-bpx and her w. C.
N. y. organization" Or words Of SINH
lar import have been the universal
voluntary expression which has fallen
upon our ears many times since the
election. The foundation of our labor
was based upon firm reliance upon
God, and among the brave women, who
with much self sacrifice had so much
to do in bringing about this glorious
| result, are some of our most devoted.
consecrated Christians. Mostly busy
house-mothers, with their hands full
not only with housewifely cares, but
often the husbands only assistant in
the field, or in business, already over
burdened, yet the issue came so near
the heart of the family that they dare
not rest until the question was settled
and settled right. No outward show
or excitement, but quiet, persistent,
organized work in every township and
in the homes themselves, accomplished
what many prophesied would be i'm
possible. Anyone interested and COM
ing in contact with this body of wo-
men could not fail to notice the deep
earnestness and the air of determine
tion about them as they unostenta-
ticusly girded themselves for the bat
tie. Indeed so little parade was there
about our work, that some asked us
"Why our w. G. Il. U. women were not
at work as heretofore" One good fea-
ture we were all united. We felt that
We had a desperate foe to encounter
and that we must meet him with a
solid front. Ministers speaking for us,
editors writing and printing. and all
who could be used in the service fell
quickly into line. Audiences who had
not been in sympathy With the work
were constrained to lend their influence
through the power of song as the
"song cards" were passed to them with
inspiriting temperance words, each
word almost temperance sermon, set
to a martial air. Parties who could
not be induced to attend public meet
ings were besieged in their own homes
when the mail carried to them white
winged messenger bearing statistics
and undisputable facts about this ter
rible monster that sought entrance in
to our county and there was not voter
in the county who was thought to wa
yer one iota in favor of high license
but received a silent message from our
faithful Cor. Sec. and Supt. Of soldiers
work. Stencil plates, cheap white mus
lin and Woman's ingenuity furnished
object LESSONS that stand out in bold
relief, appealing to men for vote for
home. In many townships our women
were at tho polls with dinner and in
luence for a vote against the sale"
always with good effect. The question
has been asked by several, "why such
was not the case at the Springs?" Wes-
sington Springs has had a continual
agitation and education in prohibition
principles ever since the town saw the
light of day, and as we had more ur-
gent calls in less favored parts Of the
county, felt that we could trust her to
do true to her early training. and every
one seems proud of her record, and we
feel fully repaid for all the discourage
ments of the past. One refrain that
rang through our ears for two days
just preceding election, was something
like this;-Women who know enough
to get the tickets ont all through the
county, ought to know enough to cast
the ballot.
On Saturday p. m., November 5th the
discovery was made that not a ticket
was to he found in the county. The
difficulties under which those tickets
W ere printed are known to only
the faithful few, and can very easily
explain how they got over the county
before Tuesday morning, because |
carried the majority of them myself,
and finding to my dismay while at
Waterbury, Monday morning that l
was not supplied with sufficient. Editor
Hull kindly came to my relief and sent
me on my way rejoicing with a new
supply. have been told repeatedly
that ours were the only local option
tickets in the county.
Under such favorable auspices as
arge majority vote against the sale
we can take up the work with new
vigor not content till national prohlbi-
ton crowns our efforts, and that glad
day will surely come.
Miss Ellers, NJ. d., is physician to